Black bear

[coplin]

Warning hunters, hikers take caution:

Sunday October 9th around 16:30
Steelhead area in Mission BC- I don't want say where but if you PM me (and not on my case after reading) then I would share

I was in about 9 km in on foot very close to the backside of Stave Lake paralelling the high tension power lines.

I found deer tracks in soft earth and then about 250m up road from that fresh bear scat on the de-activated road. This was a very, very windy day, with wind in my face downwind( I think it could not smell or hear me I'll give it that at least). I stopped to check out a possible bedding area and food source for the deer. As I turned my head back to road, a black bear was about 4 arms length away I shouted "hey bear" and it did do the antcipated action that one would expect , and turned and bolted into the nearby treeline. I began to back up wanting to leave the area and give it its space. However I could see it return to the brush (I think blackberry and alder type scrub brush) alongside the road and shadow me as I backed up all the while facing it also I heard some hissing maybe growls, i thought at the time dry branches snapping but maybe jaw snapping? again was VERY windy , no longer retreating into the forest as I expected . I felt stalked actually. I didn't see any cubs at all So I think male (my guess was 250-300 pounds) . This bear just didn't seem "right" I fired two warning shots , and it barely retreated. I had to hoof it back out all the time looking over my shoulder. When I get home I see this article in the newspaper bear-attacks-woman-conservation-officer-in-mission-b-c-1.4366779 (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bear-attacks-woman-conservation-officer-in-mission-b-c-1.4366779) co-incidence??
What a weird day I had.Black bears have always run away and stayed away when i''ve past encountered them. At least I know now why there no deer in the area:)

[Chrispryn]

Man that would freak me the f××× out. Was shooting tbe bear an option for you? It would have been top of my list behaving like that.

When would expect the bears to go down for the winter?

Chris

[Takla]

Another reason why i buy a bear tag for blacktail hunting.I had a bear once do the same thing[many yrs ago] and then proceeded to follow me just inside the bushline for quite a distance,that day i had my son with me moose hunting and didnt want to shoot it.
Was out BT hunting yesterday up high 15 k back on suicide creek and found fresh beer tracks in mud so there busy looking for food now before they sleep for the winter

[coplin]

Man that would freak me the f××× out. Was shooting tbe bear an option for you? It would have been top of my list behaving like that.

When would expect the bears to go down for the winter?

Chris yes i could have dropped it but i don't have a bear tag . If I had dropped it with no tag, would I be covered under self defense? not sure how that works or how you prove what happened if you encounter a CO?

[Chrispryn]

yes i could have dropped it but i don't have a bear tag . If I had dropped it with no tag, would I be covered under self defense? not sure how that works or how you prove what happened if you encounter a CO?

Im not too sure. I wouldn't be comfortable doing it. Maybe if you had some teeth marks on your arm or something haha. Might be tough to convince a CO without any evidence. But again, im not 100%

[wideopenthrottle]

some have said that you should make sure you shoot it in the front ....broadside shot doesn't look like an attack

[Wild one]

Some bears are jerks with a superman complex just like people lol

Good thing most are not like this

[dinsdale]

I live on a small acreage in the vicinity. The bears often don’t go down until after Christmas , even last year when thick snow was on the ground. Lived here for thirty years and this is the general pattern.

[HarryToolips]

You did well but I suggest buying a bear tag in the future then you can nuke the thing and they make great sausage..

[Kill-da-wabbit]

The only concern as to the whole self defence thing is whether or not you take the bear home. Leave it there and you shouldn't have a problem.

[coplin]

The only concern as to the whole self defence thing is whether or not you take the bear home. Leave it there and you shouldn't have a problem.
thx thats kinda what i thought but i'd not be happy letting it go to waste..

[coplin]

"I live on a small acreage in the vicinity. The bears often don’t go down until after Christmas , even last year when thick snow was on the ground. Lived here for thirty years and this is the general pattern."



ok thx dinsdale FYI I respect the gates in the area and I go in on foot( not big fan of ATV's for the most part) don't leave trash etc. i know there are some property owners in the area like yourself and I respect that....

[ACE]

Buy a bear tag .....
The next hunter/hiker, etc. that comes along may not have the luck/resources that you had.
This bear's behavior has been reinforced with his interaction with you.
One in the brainpan = good sausage.

Buy the tag.

[bigredchev]

I don't understand people hesitant to shoot an animal in self defence. If my health is at stake, whatever is threatening me is going to get shot, as a last action.



If it's threatening your life, take it's.


And go back and shoot the thing would ya

[Blainer]

Some good responses, well said Ace
And without hesitation Big Red

[REMINGTON JIM]

Never RISK anything over the life of a BEAR he wouldnt for you NEXT time put a CHUNK of lead in his HEAD ! You might be saving a unarmed person ( CHILD ) from a Mauling ! JMO RJ

[coplin]

Buy a bear tag .....
The next hunter/hiker, etc. that comes along may not have the luck/resources that you had.
This bear's behavior has been reinforced with his interaction with you.
One in the brainpan = good sausage.

Buy the tag.

thx i'll look into that . it's just that I have tunnel vison" for a buck and little worried about worms from bear no experience with those for meat but I'll read more about it.

[coplin]

I don't understand people hesitant to shoot an animal in self defence. If my health is at stake, whatever is threatening me is going to get shot, as a last action.



If it's threatening your life, take it's.


And go back and shoot the thing would ya

your right for sure , its just that at the time it happened kinda fast wasn't thinking on point

[BigBanger]

This is the exact reason I have a bear tag. I'm really not into bear hunting or bear meat but I am into covering my ass when shit goes a little sideways. $20 and blast that "not quite right" bear right in the head.

[coplin]

This is the exact reason I have a bear tag. I'm really not into bear hunting or bear meat but I am into covering my ass when shit goes a little sideways. $20 and blast that "not quite right" bear right in the head.
but then you would have meat that don't really want i dunno??

[REMINGTON JIM]

but then you would have meat that don't really want i dunno??

Lots of people feed bear meat to Dogs easy to give away ! People raising sled dogs etc - cougar bear hunters dogs ! RJ

[Wild one]

but then you would have meat that don't really want i dunno??

Give it to someone who would eat it problem solved

[coplin]

Give it to someone who would eat it problem solved

thx, if it's gutted and hanging in a cold cellar how many days do I have to find someone who would want it?

[ElectricDyck]

I pressure canned some bear meat this year for the first time..best way to eat bear in my opinion..1/2 pint jars you can take to work with a little mustard.. tastes lilke roast beef and super easy..all i am saying is give bear a chance lol..

[HappyJack]

thx thats kinda what i thought but i'd not be happy letting it go to waste..

Nothing goes to waste in mother nature. imho Lots of critters would have happily taken some good meals off the bear that should have been shot. It sounds like it was displaying predatory behavior and you are lucky you saw it before it pounced.

[MOOSE MILK]

I shot a B bear that came into our camp at night, no tag, drove to Fort St. John reported it to CO.
Was told leave it alone don't take any claws, teeth or anything else, but if I wanted it to buy a tag.
I didn't want it, I returned the next year and recovered the skull.

[Wild one]

thx, if it's gutted and hanging in a cold cellar how many days do I have to find someone who would want it?

Mall depends on the temperature a few days is easy with hide off clean and hanging

[Gateholio]

Some bears are dicks. I've had this sort of thinghappen a few times, where a bear might spook initially, then keep advancing. Sometimes they get bolder and bolder. I had one of these where we hosed it down with spray, multiple times, and it kept advancing. Only getting back to the truck ended it. That's why i say spray is a tool in the tool box, it's not the only tool to have though.

[Livewire322]

but then you would have meat that don't really want i dunno??

Bear meat is hands down the best game meat available.
I shoot one every year and cut it up for stew, roasts and ground.

It sounds to me like you passed up a chance for an easy meal.

[Bugle M In]

Yup, exactly why I started buying Bear tags.
Had the chance this year, but, he wasn't the "big one" I was looking for.
But, as was your experience, I also have the tag for a bear the exhibits no fear and wants to "push his luck".
At least I feel it was all legal, an don't need to explain to anyone that I shot because I felt threatened.
And yes, if you feel you are at risk, don't wait....
But, I have had bears at close range (neither of us knew the other was there, and almost bump into each other),
and those bears may take sometime to respond to making a decision.
I am glad I never pulled the trigger right away, as all of them up to now, do eventually run away.
But a bear that keeps on walking towards you or following you....then I would shoot, if not for my own safety,
but possibly for someone else's who isn't armed potentially.....having a tag just makes it easy to decide quicker!